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Islamic kids cartoons praised by Obama draw terse warning

'These are not types of heroes you want your children to have'

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially.

A coming series of “superhero” cartoons promoting the tenets of Islam under the title “The 99″ – which has been praised by President Obama – is drawing a terse warning from an expert who has analyzed media impact on people for decades.

“These are not the types of heroes you want your children to have,” Ted Baehr, publisher of MOVIEGUIDE,” told WND today. “These heroes, at their core, because they represent values contrary to humanity, at the core these heroes are more villain than hero.”

The New York Post ran a column describing plans for the Shariah-compliant Muslim superheroes – “including one who fights crime hidden head-to-toe by a burqa.”

“These Islamic butt-kickers are ready to bring truth, justice and indoctrination to impressionable Western minds,” the report said.

That’s the problem, according to Baehr, with the Middle East cartoon that reportedly is being picked up and scheduled for a launch early in 2011 by Hasbro toys and Discovery Communications.

A preview of the program has been posted online:

Baehr’s organization said the program includes “hair-hiding headscarves” that are “mandatory for the five female characters, not including a ‘burqa babe’ called Batina the Hidden.”

“Curiously (or not so curiously considering his track record), President Obama, who was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather in Indonesia but supposedly converted to Christianity, praised this work created by Kuwaiti psychologist Naif al-Mutawa, saying at an April meeting with Arab entrepreneurs, ‘His superheroes embody the teachings of the tolerance of Islam.’”

Baehr’s organization said the characters, which are expected to be on-air in January 2011 or later, also reportedly are featured in a six-part series of DC Comics in which the Justice League superheroes of Superman and Batman reach out to the Muslims.

“With all due respect to President Obama and contrary to his opinion, the Muslim faith is known for its lies about Christians and Jews, lies about the Bible, lies about Jesus and His apostles, violence, warrior mentality, abuse of women, slavery, persecution of non-Muslims, and terrorism against peaceful civilians, from the alleged founder of the faith, Mohammed, down to the present day,” Baehr’s analysis said.

Baehr told WND he’s been observing media impact on people for nearly four decades. Of the thousands of studies, there has been only one – by a media organization – that concluded the media did not have an influence on children.

But that influence does not always manifest itself the same way, he said. For example, a study revealed that 1 in 4 children who watch R-rated movies started drinking earlier than children who did not.

A small percentage, he said, are very likely to be influenced toward the violence that is inherent in Islam – it’s admonitions to “kill infidels” and the like.

“Islam is a toxic religion, I will say that up front,” Baehr said. “It is a very negative religion toward people and especially women.”

The Family Security Matters commentary also suggested a darker side to the “heroes.”

“In the Islamic world, cartoons have a more sinister purpose. In Iran, on Al-Quds Day, Iranian TV schedules are filled with cartoons about evil Israelis with red eyes, shooting and murdering innocent doe-eyed Palestinians. For older kids, the heroes fight back, and even get martyred in the cause of Allah. Al-Quds day, named after the Arab term for Jerusalem and initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1983, is a time for Iranian media to reinforce Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic propaganda,” it said.

The characters already are in comic books that come from Teshkeel Comics in Kuwait, a company that has worked with Marvel, DC and Archie comic companies.

“Not all kids [who watch] are going to become violent,” Baehr said, “It’s only if they have a susceptibility. This will become a pattern of behavior just like American converts to radical Islam in Detroit and Tennessee.

“This will appeal to a certain group who will become radicalized by watching this,” he said. “The problem with all of this … is that you cannot tell until it’s too late.”

Also in a report documented by the Middle East Media Research Institute, an Al-Aqsa program features a children’s choir thart opens with: “Dad, we put on our new clothes. Give us our pocket money. Today is a holiday. … Me, my brother, and the neighborhood kids want to arm ourselves with guns.”

MEMRI explained that the message is an excerpt of a holiday video aired on Hamas Al-Aqsa Television called “Holiday Gun.”